Overview

Chemical engineers bring about innovation and improvements in process industries, such as those concerned with the manufacture of chemicals, food, fuel and pharmaceuticals.

The Department of Chemical Engineering was founded in 1912 and undergraduate degrees were first formally taught from 1937.

On this professionally accredited course, you will learn to apply scientific, engineering and business principles to a variety of complex practical issues.

You also have the chance to spend your third or fourth year studying abroad at one of our leading partner universities. Places are currently available in Europe, the USA, Australia or Singapore.

Study programme

All Chemical Engineering students study the same core programme for the first two years, covering fundamental science and mathematics and how these apply to practical engineering problems. Mathematics modules cover a wide range of pure and applied topics, with emphasis on solving the large sets of non-linear equations which characteristically describe chemical engineering problems.

You will also analyse a variety of chemical processes, and learn about the many ways of contacting, reacting and separating different gases, liquids and solids on a large scale.

There is approximately the same amount of physical chemistry as in pure science courses distributed through the four years, while first-year modules in chemistry and biochemistry are designed to support eventual optional modules in later years.

As the course progresses, you will have the freedom to tailor your study programme to your interests through a range of specialist modules such as nuclear chemical engineering and biochemical engineering.

Environmental effects of chemical operations are highlighted throughout the course, with an emphasis on successful control and mitigation.

There are also major optional modules in which environmental technology themes can be taken further. Attention to safety engineering is closely integrated with many of the modules and in most projects a safety audit is required.

Year abroad

You will spend either your third or fourth year studying abroad, depending on your destination.

The programme of study at your host university will closely match the structure of the course at Imperial, and you will complete both modules and project work. This is an integrated year abroad, so the grades you achieve will count directly towards your Imperial degree.

Teaching is normally in the language of your host country, so you will need to show an acceptable proficiency in the relevant language for placements in France, Germany and Spain. Free language classes are available at the College to help you prepare.

Limited places means competition for placements abroad is strong and cannot be guaranteed – particularly for the USA and Australia – and normally only students who are on track for at least a 2:1 by the time of selection will be eligible.

Project work

There is an emphasis on project work throughout the course, which increases in complexity each year. These projects consist of design work, theoretical and computing studies, and practical work in our laboratories, including in our state-of-the-art Carbon Capture Pilot Plant.

Much of your project work will be grounded in real industry problems, and all students have the opportunity to complete an industry-based project towards the end of their degree.

In your final year you will also complete a major project covering all aspects of the design of a chemical plant.

If you are an international student, transferring to a different course could have an impact on your Tier 4 visa. Please visit our International Student Support webpage for further information.

Structure

Please note that the curriculum of this course is currently being reviewed as part of a College-wide process to introduce a standardised modular structure. As a result, the content and assessment structures of this course may change for your year of entry. We therefore recommend that you check this course page before finalising your application and after submitting it as we will aim to update this page as soon as any changes are ratified by the College.

Find out more about the limited circumstances in which we may need to make changes to or in relation to our courses, the type of changes we may make and how we will tell you about changes we have made.

Year 1

Core modules

Business for Engineers 1 – Business Ethics for Chemical Engineers

Chemical Engineering Practice 1

Chemistry

Fluid Mechanics 1

Heat and Mass Transfer

Mastery for Engineers 1

Mathematics 1

Process Analysis

Physical Chemistry

Separation Processes 1

Spring Test

Thermodynamics 1

Design projects

Scheduling of maintenance and repair work on a pressurised-water reactor power station; or

Synthesis of a heat exchanger network for a solvent manufacturing plant

Year 2

Core modules

Biochemistry

Business for Engineers 2 – Economic Evaluation of Projects

Fluid Mechanics 2

Heat Transfer

Industrial Chemistry

Knowledge Laboratory

Mastery for Engineers 2

Mathematics 2

Pilot Plant Project

Process Dynamics and Control

Reaction Engineering 1

Reactor Design and Control Project

Separation Processes 2

Thermodynamics 2

Design project

Catalytic reactor – you will write your own computer program to size the reactor in order to achieve a specified conversion

Control of the reactor – you will design a suitable control structure for the reactor and improve its performance

Year Abroad

You typically spend this year at a partner university abroad, unless you are on the exchange in France, the Netherlands or Sweden.

The main difference from the standard course (H801) is that you may have to take language classes in parallel to your regular Chemical Engineering modules in the first two years. If you are already fluent in the language, you will follow the standard course before you go abroad.

There is competition for the limited number of exchange places to the USA, Australia, and Singapore. You are therefore not guaranteed a place on these exchanges even if you are enrolled on the Year Abroad course.

You will normally need to be achieving at least a 2:1 degree standard academically to be eligible for a placement abroad.

The modules to be taken at the partner university will closely match the course structure of the third year at Imperial.

This department is taking part in the Imperial College London–Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) student exchange pilot. Find out more about the study abroad opportunities that will be created through this two-year pilot, which launched in 2018.

Please note the above is an illustrative list of countries in which the Department currently has partner universities. Partnerships with universities are subject to continuous review and individual partnerships may or may not be renewed.

There may be limitations placed upon your ability to live and study in these locations. If applicable you will need to successfully apply for the relevant visa. This applies to all students, including Home students, in light of the vote for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union.

Year 4

Advanced Chemical Engineering Practice: Research Project

You complete an advanced research project at Master's level over one or two terms.

Advanced Chemical Engineering Design Practice: Final Year Design

You undertake a major project covering all aspects of the design of a chemical plant:

the synthesis of a process

detailed design of key units

plant control (including start-up and shut-down procedures)

plant safety and layout (including environmental impacts of the plant);

development of a sound business plan

Optional modules

You choose six of the optional modules below, without choosing modules you have already studied in Year 3.

Advanced Bioprocess Engineering

Advanced Process Operations

Advanced Process Optimisation

Biochemical Engineering

Carbon Capture and Clean Fossil Fuels

Colloid and Interface Science

Dynamic Behaviour of Process Systems

Dynamical Systems in Chemical Engineering

Introduction to Nuclear Energy

Long Research Project

Membrane Science and Membrane Separation Processes

Modelling of Biological Systems

Molecular Modelling of Fluids

Nuclear Chemical Engineering

Nuclear Materials I

Nuclear Reactor Physics

Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics

Pharmaceutical Process Development

Process Heat Transfer

Product Characterisation

Transport Processes in Biological Systems

Further options

Imperial Horizons – offers a wide range of modules, including languages and humanities options, which are designed to broaden your education, inspire your creativity and enhance your professional impact

Download the programme specification [PDF] – this is the most up-to-date version available for this course. It may change for your year of entry. If/when changes to this course are approved by the College, we will update this document and the information on this course page.

Professional accreditation

Achieving a professionally accredited integrated Master's degree (MEng) means that you have satisfied the first step to becoming a Chartered Engineer (CEng) in your chosen field by satisfying the educational requirements of professional registration. To gain Chartered status, you will need to demonstrate your ability to meet additional graduate level competences described in the Engineering Council's UK-SPEC

A CEng is a highly respected qualification earned by professionals working in engineering, which can lead to higher earning potential and better career prospects.

Professional registration also brings international recognition of your qualification, which is particularly useful for students preparing for a career abroad.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

You can expect to spend approximately two-thirds of your time in lectures in the first and second years, with the remainder of the time spent on projects, coursework and complementary projects.

Lecture-based courses are supplemented by tutorials in small groups and by seminars, with some written assignments as appropriate.

Teaching methods will vary in the third and fourth years depending on which optional modules you choose.

You spend almost half of your taught fourth year studies in lecture-based sessions, with the remainder of the year made up of projects and coursework.

Teaching, independent study and placement hours

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Lectures, seminars and similar

456 hours

416 hours

–

672 hours

Independent study

1,119 hours

1,234 hours

–

1,153 hours

Placement

–

–

1,500 hours

–

Based on the typical pathway through the course

Assessment

You are mainly assessed by yearly examinations, backed up with various open-book assessments, which allow you to demonstrate mastery of key course content, and consolidate the knowledge gained from lectures.

Most of the formal teaching takes place in one half of the day (either the morning or the afternoon). This includes lectures, problem classes and small group tutorials. The other half of the day is kept free for a series of projects undertaken either singly, in a pair, or in a larger group. This enables you to develop important teamwork skills.

There is a continuous design element running through all four years, with projects that increase in complexity each year.

Project work

The project work is completed in pairs and sometimes larger groups, and ensure collaboration with academic teaching staff (who assess progress) and the development of vital team work skills.

For laboratory projects you work in groups of up to four people for several weeks in each of the first three years, supervised by a lecturer. Sessions typically begin with a discussion of the background to the experiments and the lecturer supplies a list of suitable reading. You are tested on your understanding in tutorials.

As with all projects, the work is finally reported fully in writing for assessment of the technical merit and effective communication.

Assessment types

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Coursework

18%

28%

Variable

41%

Practical

4%

2%

Variable

10%

Written

78%

70%

Variable

49%

Based on the typical pathway through the course; percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole number

* Dependent on the syllabus at the partner university during your year abroad.

Staff expertise

You will be taught in a department of around 500 undergraduate students and over 200 postgraduate students. Teaching staff is made up of some 40 Professors, Readers, Lecturers and Teaching Fellows, 11 technical support staff, and 20 administrative and clerical staff. These people are the major resource for running the undergraduate course.

Compare this course

See how this course compares with similar courses at different institutions using the Unistats information below.

The Unistats website uses official data which we provide about all of our undergraduate courses that have a UCAS code. This information is published by the Higher Education Funding Council on the Unistats website to help you compare similar courses at different institutions.

Because acceptance onto this course is via in-course transfer, it does not have its own Unistats page. However, there is a high degree of overlap with the main degree in this Department so we encourage you to use the Unistats data for that degree.

Entry requirements

We welcome students from all over the world and consider all applicants on an individual basis – see selection process below.

For advice on the requirements for the qualifications listed here please contact the Department (see Contact us).

We also accept a wide range of international qualifications. If the requirements for your qualifications are not listed here, please see our academic requirements by country page for guidance on which qualifications we accept.

Typical offer range

As a guide, the typical offer made in 2017 to at least 85% of applicants studying IB was 41–42 pointsoverall.

Language requirement

If you are applying for a course with a year in France, Switzerland, Spain or Germany you must show ability in the appropriate language.

Grade A in GCSE or a pass at AS-level (or equivalent) will usually be required. You must be willing to continue language study once at the College.

Mathematics Higher Level for award in 2021

For entry in 2021, the Mathematics Analysis and Approaches or the Applications and Interpretation syllabi will be accepted at higher level with no preference.

Advanced Placements

The grades detailed below are the minimum requirements for students offering only Advanced Placements as their exams for entry to Imperial.

If you are studying a High School Diploma that is accepted by Imperial alongside Advanced Placements, requirements may apply to both your Diploma and Advanced Placements.

Please consult our country index to check whether we accept your High School Diploma programme for admission.

Our minimum requirement for this course is grades 5, 5, 5 to include:

5 in Calculus BC

5 in Chemistry

5 in Physics, Biology or Economics

Preferably, 5 in another two subjects.

You may also require a relevant language qualification for this year abroad degree.

Selection process

Assessing your application

Admissions Tutors consider all the evidence available during our rigorous selection process and the College flags key information providing assessors with a more complete picture of the educational and social circumstances relevant to the applicant.

Some applicants may be set lower offers and some more challenging ones. It is the College’s policy to not make offers below three A’s at A-level in relevant subjects, 38 IB points with at least a grade 6 at higher level in relevant subjects, or their equivalent.

A typical range of offers made by this Department in 2017 (encompassing at least 85% of applicants who studied A-level or IB) is shown above.

Post-application open day and interview

If your UCAS application indicates that you are likely to satisfy our requirements and you live within reasonable travelling distance of the College you will be invited to visit the Department.

During this visit, you will meet members of the teaching staff and a number of current students.

You will attend an interview on a one-to-one basis and be shown the teaching facilities of the Department, as well as various features of the College. This includes a tour of our residential accommodation and some of our recreational facilities.

We conduct interviews in south-east Asia for our applicants there.

Due to the demanding nature of courses, you need to be highly qualified and motivated to study at Imperial. As a result, both academic and personal qualities are taken into account when we make offers.

We will also take into account the comment of the member of staff who you met, including when we decide (for example after A-levels) whether to confirm our offer should you fail marginally to satisfy the entry conditions.

Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)

An ATAS certificate is required for all Non-EEA/Swiss nationals who require a visa to study in the UK.

To apply for an ATAS certificate online, you will need your programme details and the relevant Common Aggregation Hierarchy (CAH) code and ‘descriptor’. For this course, these are:

CAH code

Descriptor

CAH10-01-09

chemical, process and energy engineering

Your Tier 4 visa application, or extension of stay, will automatically be refused if you need an ATAS certificate and cannot provide one.For further guidance on obtaining an ATAS certificate please see the information on our International Student Support website.

English language requirement (all applicants)

All candidates must demonstrate a minimum level of English language proficiency for admission to the College.

Tuition fees (Home and EU students)

The UK government has confirmed that EU students entering the university in 2019 will continue to pay the Home rate of tuition for the duration of their course.

Please note that the fee you pay may increase annually by an amount linked to inflation and approved by Parliament under the Student Fees (Inflation Index) Regulations 2006 – currently the measure of inflation used is the RPIX.

Government funding

If you're a Home student, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan from the UK government to cover the entire cost of tuition for every year of your course.

You can also apply for a means-tested Maintenance Loan to help towards your living costs.

The UK government has confirmed that access to government funding will remain unchanged for EU students entering the university in 2019 throughout the duration of their course. This includes access to the Tuition Fee Loan for EU students who have resided in the European Economic Area for at least three years prior to study, and access to the Maintenance Loan for EU students have been resident in the UK for at least five years.

Tuition fees (Overseas and Islands students)

The tuition fees for Overseas and Islands students are set by Imperial College London.

You should expect and budget for your tuition fee increasing each year by an inflationary amount. The measure of inflation used will be the Retail Price Index (RPI) value in the April of the calendar year in which the academic session starts e.g. the RPI value in April 2019 will apply to fees for the academic year 2019–2020.

Additional course costs

This section outlines any additional costs relevant to this course, which are not included in your tuition fees. It is possible that all, or only some, of these will be relevant to you.

Please note that the figures provided are usually based on the cost in the most recent academic year. These are likely to change from year to year. However, it is useful for you to be aware of the types of things you may have to pay for and their approximate cost to help you budget for student life at Imperial.

This section indicates whether any additional costs that apply are mandatory or optional. Mandatory costs are those that you will need to pay to fully participate in and complete your studies. Optional costs are not essential to your studies so you will be free to opt out of these.

Summary

Description

Mandatory/optional

Guide to cost

Equipment (laptop computer)

Mandatory

£100 (refundable)

Please review the information below for more information on the costs listed in the table.

Laptop computer

You will need a laptop for some classes and coursework. The laptop must meet a minimum specification. For the 2017–18 academic year this was:

Windows 10 capable

Intel i5/i7 6th/7th generation processor

8GB RAM

256 GB SSD HDD

The Department has a number of laptops available for loan for the duration of your course. A deposit of £100 is required, refundable when you return the laptop at the end of your course.

You will have the chance to indicate whether you wish to take part in the laptop loan scheme when contacted by the Department in the September before you start your course.

If you choose to borrow a laptop, you will be sent an invoice for the deposit amount which is payable online before the start of term. A variety of payment methods are available.

Accommodation and living costs

Living costs, including accommodation, are not included in your tuition fees.

Over 90 per cent of Imperial undergraduates choose to live in our halls of residence in their first year. You can compare costs across our different accommodation options on our Accommodation website.

A rough guide to what you might expect to spend to live in reasonable comfort in London is available on our Fees and Funding website.

Careers

Our graduates enjoy a wide choice of careers in the process, energy and healthcare industries and in companies involved in the design and construction of chemical plants. Many graduates have also entered research organisations, public utilities, consultancy and the information technology industry, with many opportunities for employment overseas.

Order a prospectus

Further information

Living in London

London’s creative energy and cultural vibrancy delivers a student experience unlike any other. Our first-year accommodation guarantee means that you'll have the perfect base from which to explore this exciting city.